Field hockey Hereford scores twice in four quarters to edge past Catonsville, 8-0 – Baltimore Sun

Since a loss at Dulaney eight days ago, the Hereford field hockey team has played a role. The Bulls posted their second consecutive shutout Wednesday, beating Catonsville, 8-0.

The Bulls (3-2 aggregate, 2-1 county) scored twice in each quarter and held the Comets (2-6, 2-2) to one shot on net. Combined with a win last week over Towson, Hereford have won their last two games by a combined score of 10-0.

Junior Katie Burks started the scoring early Wednesday thanks to an assist from sophomore Caitlin Meeker.

“I couldn’t find anyone open so I kept dribbling and dribbling and luckily Katie called me and she was wide open and that was great,” Meeker said.

The Comet defense of Mary Angell, Lindsay Taylor and Maddie Taylor and goalkeeper Allison Kitchel held on despite several Hereford chances in the circle until Burks assisted Meeker after a penalty corner with two minutes left in the first quarter. The wedge was inserted by Burks to Lydia Bennett, who returned it to Burks and she delivered the aid.

“I saw [Meeker] and she was communicating to me,” Burks said.

“I saw the back post was open and I saw Katie ready to give it to me,” Meeker added.

The two first-quarter goals were exactly what Hereford coach Caitlin Duvall preaches.

“Our goal was to go out and play to win and really focus on our communication and they had one and were hungry. And that’s kind of our team’s goal to score first,” Duvall said. “And once we got that, we picked up momentum and really took off.”

Meeker scored an unassisted goal and Kayla Owings redirected a rebound into the cage in the second quarter for a 4-0 halftime lead.

It could have been a lot worse, but Catonsville goaltender Allison Kitchel made three of her 15 saves in the first three minutes of the third quarter.

“She was a good sitter, not to take it away from her, she did a great job, but we got everyone today. It was a full team effort and some young kids stepped up and that was a very nice experience,” said Duvall.

Catonsville coach Emma Walsh has seen this consistent goaltender play all season.

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“She’s so talented and she never played field hockey until her freshman year,” Walsh said. “She was making good saves and they were clean saves she was making.”

Hereford kept up the pressure in the second half and got goals from Maddie Fuller and Ryleigh Collins and assists from Grace Berquist and Fuller in the third quarter. Lily Walton and Collins added goals and Riley Wilson had two assists in the final quarter.

Collins made a huge impression on his coach with the pair of scores.

“She’s kind of like our utility player where we kind of put her where we need the legs and she can get the job done,” Duvall said. “She was impressive today.”

The Comets rarely handed the ball to key attacking players Jade Pannuto and Alison Capka and failed to shoot on goal in the second half against a Hereford defense led by Anna Knepley and Walton.

Walsh, who was an assistant under Barb Bates for the past two seasons before getting the varsity job at the end of the summer, has been impressed with her team’s development. Walsh, a 2016 Catonsville graduate and former player, is adjusting to the new position as head coach with former Comet assistant teammate Zoe Waddell.

“When I was with Barb, we were very even, so I feel like it’s really not a big change because we were very similar in all of our thoughts,” Walsh said.

Catherine J. Martinez